268 - Ishaq narrated to us, saying: Yahya ibn Durays informed us, saying: I heard Sufyan al-Thawri—and he was asked about the tears in leather socks—say: "Wipe over the leather sock as long as it is called a leather sock."

• "And Ibn Mubarak said the same, and he said: 'Do you not see that the leather socks of the companions of Muhammad had tears in them?'"

269 - Al-Musayyab ibn Wadih narrated to us, saying: Abu Ishaq al-Fazari narrated to us, saying: Sufyan said: "He may wipe over the torn leather sock, provided the tear is not in the place of wiping."

270 - And al-Awza'i said: "He shall wash what is exposed of his foot, and wipe over what remains."

271 - 'Abbas ibn 'Abd al-'Azim narrated to us, saying: Yazid ibn Harun narrated to us, saying: I heard Sufyan al-Thawri say: "The wiping over the leather sock is [valid] as long as it is useful."

Chapter: How is the Wiping Performed?

• I asked Ahmad ibn Hanbal, and I said: "Is the wiping done with the fingers?" He said: "Yes."

• And Ahmad was asked—another time—about the wiping over the two leather socks? He said: "With the fingers, from the bottom—meaning: from the tips of the toes—up to the base of the foot."

• And I asked Ishaq, and I said: "Is it sufficient to wipe with three fingers?" He said: "[It must be] with the palm," and he mentioned that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) wiped over his boots (muqayn) with his palm.

• And I heard Ishaq—another time—say: "If one wipes over the two leather socks with two fingers or three, or with the halves of his palms, it is not sufficient for him until he wipes with his palms, unless there is an ailment in one of his palms; in that case, it is sufficient in times of necessity to wipe with whatever part of the palm is possible for him."